Common Name: African Fire-head Millipede
Scientific Name: Spirostreptus servatius

Size: Adult/Sub-adult
Status: Unknown

Food: Millipedes feed on fruit, vegetables & leaf litter.

Reason for collection only: Too special

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How I keep mine

I keep my African Fire-head millipedes in a plastic box but a fish tank would work just as well. I buy the boxes from Wilko or Tesco and make air holes in the lid with a soldering iron, a great little tool for burning the right size holes through plastic. I use peat or coir on the base and add leaf litter (Oak, Beech or other hardwoods) and pieces of rotten wood. Some millipedes seem to eat just the decaying leaves and wood but I do find that the Olive millipedes enjoy a little fruit/vegetables each week, especially apple and cucumber.  I sometimes add a little cuttlefish or powdered calcium carbonate which I am told is good for their growth, I also occasionally add a little of my cockroach mix (see cockroach page for details). This species is very easy to keep and breed, warmth and humidity are important. I use a small heat mat and ensure there is not too much ventilation. If you are housing the millipedes in a fish tank you may need to cover some of the air holes with cling film so that the cage does not dry out. I rarely mist my millipedes as I find they get enough moisture from the leaf litter and food.